Distinctly Catholic

The USCCB has issued a new book about the Holy Father, Pope Benedict: Essays and Reflections on His Papacy, edited by Sr. Mary Ann Walsh, the director of media relations for the Conference. It is a splendid book not least because it will make a perfect Christmas gift for my Dad. (Oops – there goes the surprise!)

My Dad would not read a book of theology. But he loves the Pope. He loves this Pope. He loved Pope John Paul II, in part because of ethnic pride: Our family name was Wojtczuk before they anglicanized it. He loved Pope John Paul I, as did we all, in the few weeks he was given to us. He loved Pope Paul VI. You get the picture.

I do not know if CNN's Rick Sanchez will get fired because of his anti-Semitic remarks. But, I don't really care why he is fired. I care that he is fired. He is dreadful. Self-referential. A bad interviewer. An ambulance chaser. Incapabale of simply dealing with the techological challenges of being a host and, instead, constantly sharing with his viewers whatever his producer is whispering into his ear. On top of all that, now we know he is a bigot. Good riddance.

In the article linked on "Morning Briefing," everyone agrees that the highly disturbing comments and behavior of a Michigan Assistant Attorney General, Andrew Shirvell, are reprehensible, but the ACLU evidently supports Attorney General Mike Cox's decision not to fire Shirvell. An official said, "As offensive and as despicable as Mr. Shirvell's comments are, they are protected expression under the First Amendment when they are not used as a direct threat," she said. "Without making specific threats against others, this is just another example of speech that society must tolerate, even though it is profoundly disturbing and stirs many to anger." This misses the point.

UPDATE (10/25): Unlike the Senate races in Washington state, Pennsylvania and Illinois, the race in Wisconsin has broken decidedly against incumbent Sen. Russ Feingold. The Cook POlitical Report and RCP both rate the race as "lean Republican." Nate Silver gives Sen. Feingold only an 11 percent chance of retaining his seat. This race proves my point that the ideal GOP candidate this year is a totally bland person with no record. GOP businessman Ron Johnson, unlike the Tea Party favs in Nevada, Colorado, Alaska and Delaware, is, as the Italians say, "macaroni senza sal," flavorless. This has allowed him to keep the focus on the three-term incumbent who has appeared increasingly lackluster in the campaign, as if his heart is simply not in the race. Barring a miracle, Feongold is going into an early retirement.

Ya know, the "Corner" at National Review is becoming one big Yahoo Watch. But, today's entry by Mark Krikorian about Meg Whitman's former maid is repulsive in the extreme. He employs the phrase "Illegal Alien" twice at the article's beginning as if the maid was from Mars not Mexico. What's next? Calling undocumented workers "sub-human"? Krikorian finishes his little hissy fit by asking whose Social Security number the maid stole and wondering if that person's credit score has been ruined. Why not ask if the person whose Social Security number the maid "stole" must give back all that extra money from the maid and Whitman's Social Security contributions?
This stuff is hateful, just hateful.